Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card vs. The Platinum Card® from American Express: Which Travel Rewards Card Is Best for You?

5xs are a great way to reap the benefits (think: earning miles, upgrades, and free stays) from regular travel.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and The Platinum Card® from American Express are not only solid options for travel, but also allow you to earn miles on your everyday spending, which can then be translated into free flights, upgrades, hotel stays, and more.

In a Nutshell

• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is for people who want an easy-to-use travel credit card, but one that still allows for traditional benefits, like

  2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 5 Miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel.

• The Platinum Card® from American Express is for those who want access to some of the best travel perks on the market and don’t mind paying for it.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the newest offering from Capital One. It’s differentiated by easy-to-redeem perks and flexibility.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Features

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers several easy-to-use benefits, from annual booking credits, to anniversary bonuses, and access to lounges.

Another bonus? Its annual fee of just $395 is also on the lower end for a premium travel card.

• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has a $395 annual fee.
• Earn

  2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 5 Miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel.

• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card gifts users 10,000 bonus miles (equal to about $100 to spend toward travel) every account anniversary.
• Unlimited airport lounge access to 1,300+ Priority Pass lounges internationally.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Special Features

Additional benefits include up to $100 credit for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, a must-have for all seasoned travelers, plus a welcome bonus:

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Fees

Like any top-tier or premium travel credit card, you’re going to pay an annual fee. But the $395 Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card fee is on the lower end of the range, especially compared to The Platinum Card® from American Express hefty $695 annual fee.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Pros and Cons

Before signing on the dotted line for a Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, be sure to consider both the pros and cons.

Pros

• Low annual fee.
• Easy-to-use benefits, like

  2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 5 Miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel.

• Annual booking credits, an anniversary bonus, and access to lounges.
• Option to earn additional benefits, like the following welcome bonus:

  Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Cons

• Welcome bonus spending threshold is on the higher end.
• Flight benefits are limited to those booked via Capital One Travel.

Why Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card?

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a solid choice for those looking to dip their toes into the world of travel credit card benefits. That’s because it has several uncomplicated perks, like

2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 5 Miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel.

This card also boasts annual travel credits, an annual anniversary award of 10,000 bonus miles, and access to Capital One lounges and 1,300+ Priority Pass lounges worldwide.

And don’t forget about the welcome bonus:

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

Coupled with a lower annual fee of $395, it’s an easy choice for travelers who want a simple, but still benefit-rich, experience.

The Platinum Card® from American Express

The Platinum Card® from American Express has long been touted as one of the industry’s best travel cards.

The Platinum Card® from American Express Features

The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a long list of travel benefits.

• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

• Up to a $200 annual hotel credit on selected hotels (requires two-night minimum stay).
• Up to a $200 airline fee credit.
• Up to $240 annual digital entertainment credit (Enrollment Required).
• Up to a $300 annual credit on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox Club memberships (Enrollment Required).
• $200 in Uber Cash or up to $100 in an annual Saks credit.

The card’s welcome offer is also solid:

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

The Platinum Card® from American Express Special Features

One thing this card has plenty of is statement credits. Whether it’s a $200 annual airline fee credit, $200 in Uber Cash, a $200 hotel credit, or a $240 annual credit for digital entertainment, you’ll save on travel somewhere. And for fitness junkies? There’s an annual $300 credit on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox Club memberships (Enrollment Required).

Another interesting feature is the card’s $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit (in annual statement credits). CLEAR® Plus is a biometric screening tool that helps you move through security more quickly and is available at selected airports. This bonus covers the cost of an annual CLEAR® membership.

The Platinum Card® from American Express Fees

The The Platinum Card® from American Express annual fee is $695, so definitely on the higher end for a premium travel card. But, with its many benefits and statement credits, you’ll likely recoup that cost.

Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card® from American Express Pros and Cons

Before opening your own The Platinum Card® from American Express, be sure to consider the pros and cons.

Pros

• A long list of benefits, like statement credits ranging from airline and hotel credits to CLEAR® Plus or Equinox memberships. Plus,

  Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

• Established, consumer-friendly card.
• Solid welcome offer:

  Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

  .

Cons

• High annual fee.
• Benefits may be hard to navigate for travel credit card newbies.

Why Choose The Platinum Card® from American Express?

The The Platinum Card® from American Express is ideal for seasoned travelers familiar with navigating the travel rewards space. Its benefits are long, beginning with rewards:

Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening

And that’s not to mention the long litany of annual statement credits, on everything from luxury shopping to gym memberships to airline and hotel credits.

This card is a good card to choose if you travel often, tend to stay in luxury hotels, and will spend enough annually to offset its annual fee.

Bottom Line

The card_name and the card_name are both solid choices when it comes to travel credit cards.

While the The Platinum Card® from American Express offers a long list of benefits, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card may be a bit easier to use for travel card novices. Plus, it offers all the expected benefits for a travel card

2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 5 Miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel.